Cam and roller construction



0a. 1a, 1925- v 1.551.492

L. GQDANIELS 0M! AND ROLLER CONSTRUCTION Filed April 9, 1921 Z'She'ats-Sheet 1 L. G. DANIELS 'cul MID ROLLER cons'rnucnou Patented Get. 13, 1925.

ROCKFORD, IDLINOIS;

oAM ANDtRoLIinR CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed :Aprilfl,

To (all whom it mary. concern Be it known that LLLnn G. DANinn-s, a a citizen of the United States, residing at Rockforchin the county/of Winnebagoandf State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cam-and Roller Constructions, of which the-(following is a specification.

This invention relates 1 in, t general to, ma chine elements, and has: mo-reparticulan reference to cam-and roller constructions, 9519i? cially applicableto metal Working machines In the design of automatic and semi-auto-- inatic metal WODklIlg-JTlflGhIHGS, ittis-recognized that cam-and roller constructions are very etlicient for transmitting teed and other movements such f r example "as rapid. approach, feed. and quick-return movements; and in other cases it is desired totstart with a heavy feed-,then change to a fine ieedpand then hold the tools'at a. dwell-for finishinq hetorothey are retracteda. Such construc: tion has, howeveigg been restricted to the. smaller sizes and typesof machines; and where the more heawy feed pressures are involved, screw and nut elements or other to the fact that the-ordinary canrand roller construction is innnicalto. the COHClLlJIODS heavy duty machines;

The present invention, however, aims,.pri n'iarily to provide a contend roller construction of such novel designas to make; practi? cal and successt'ul'its adaptation, to metal. Working machines of all sizes, for the efficient transmission of heavy feed presstues, I have accordingly devised w construction characterized by relatively Widenfaced, low, angle cums and'arelstively larger diameter. roller which follows the camsand is supported at each end by roller hearings in a novel manner and positively held in proper relation to the cams- Vith a eonstruction of this type, themaxhnum pressures involved in metal Workin "machines may he mostzefli- V will he apprecintecl bythoseiainiliar: with this art asthe inventionhecomes better un-v dcrstood h relerenceto the-following de- ,1921. SeriahNo, 460,045,. 7

scription when. considered, in, connection Witll the accomp anying drawings, in which Figure lfisa, side elevation of a, metal; Working machine ,81IlbOdy11'lg my, invent on 5 Fig 2, a topcvview of the cam, end of the machin shoWn in Fig, l

Fig, 2; and,

Fig; 4, adetail sectionaliview 1 taken on the line-+1 4 of Fig.3,.

My invention, as mentioned above, is applicable to any metal, Workingn achineor the like, in Wliiclrheavy pressures, suches reed pressures, aretobe-tra isinittedg For purpose ofillustration, I havetaken as an;

exampl ithe applicatio-noflmy inyention to an automatic multiple chuck, metal working machine of the type in which .a imllt i" l e Work holders are adapted to bsihdeXfi tlgwifih respect to the tools,-eand in ,Wlrichflthe tools are fed toWa-rdand; from the Workholjders to simultaneously perform a plurality of,

cutting operations. Inthis and other types of metal working machines heavy; feed I pressure is required to, efle'ct the ,cutt ng og constructions must beemployedw Thisisduer erations; and it isto vtliifiendlthatln haye devised a novel, meanswherehy these pres; sures may: bemost-efiiciently trans a nd re'q un'einents ol' the heavy: pressure and 1 Inthe example given, a suitable port-s uprightstanclards 6-1 and/7, uponwl ich is mounted forv horizontal. reception, a vteed] bar 8. Thefeed bar isco-nnectedj to a carrier 9 whichcarries the tool holders (not shown) and is slidable horizontally upon a column 11 concentriciwith thefed' bar 8. A Work carrier 12 carries a, plurality of ,circumjerentiallysp acedrotat ableWork holders o1 chucks 13 adapted to he successively, moved into op erative. relation Witlrthetools by indexing the Work carrier.

I In this particular machine, the tool carrier 9.- equipped with circumferentially spaced toolhold'ers or spim a dies, not shown, is adaptcdto be moved by the feed bar towardthe worlcin erapid approach and afeed movement, and away fronrthe. Workin quickreturn movement.

The present; invention has: reference to the, immediate means for moving the 'lee d her 8, OTlIl othenwords, to the mea s operated by rotary-cams "for transmittingthje desired movements. I prefer to employ cams eta working faces.

assumlng that the cam plates will be re segmental type adapted to be carried by a suitable camcarrier such as composed of annular cam plates 14 and 15. As shown in the drawings, these cam plates, formed integral with a hub 16 and suitable reinforcing webs 17, are fixed to a shaft 18 parallel with the feed bar 8. The cam plates are revolved by a worm gear 19 and a worm therefor, on the shaft 21 which may be driven by the shaft 22; In this in-. stance the shaft 18 is employed to drive other mechanism, not shown; and it should be understood that the present invention contemplates any suitable means for revolubly supporting and for revolving the cam plates. Each cam plate has fixedly secured thereto by bolts 20, one or more segmental cams, designated generclly by 23. These cams define an annular cam way 2st, 'in which is disposed a roller 25 carried by the feed bar 8, as will presently be described. It will be observed that the cam plates and cams are of comparativelyheavy construction, and that the cams have relatively broad Referring to Fig. 1 and volved in a clockwise direction viewing the rlght hand end of the machine, the roller 25 Wlll remain in neutral position until moved to the left by the rapid approacl incline 26, and thence in a slow feed movement by the low angle 27 until a point 28 is reached, whereupon the roller and likewise the tool carriage, will be retracted in a quick return movement by the cam inchne 29.

The cam roller is supported by and at one side of the feed bar 8, through the agency of the cup and cone type roller bearings, there being one such hearing at each end of the roller. These bearings comprise cone members 31 fixed to the trunnion ends 32 of the roller shaft 33 and annular cup raceways 3 1 secured to the feed bar. In

' I order to rigidly support the lowermost roller bearing, the feed bar is provided with a yoke reaching inwardly through the camway and comprising in the present 1nstance a pair of laterally extending rigid arms 35 embracing the roller and housing the hearing.

A retaining plate 36 holds the lower cup bearing in position. Suitable rollers are interposed between the cup and cone race members. These bearings are more efficient for heavy pressures and take care of both the radial and end thrust pressures; but it should be understood that my lnvention contemplates the use of any suitable bearings or anti-friction bearings for supporting the cam roller in' the novel combination claimed herein. The feed bar 8 carries an upstanding arm 37 at the upper end of which is journaled in suitable roller bearings 38, a guide roller 39, which is adapted to roll upon and bestructure 43. The rollers 25 and 39 are coaxial and their axis intersects at right angles the axis of rotation of the rotary cam plates. The function of the guide roller 39 or the equivalent guide means, as will be explained more fully hereinafter, is to hold the cam roller 25 in proper operative relation to the cam faces.

In operation, the proper line contact will be maintained between the cam roller 25 and the working cam surfaces by means of the guide roller 39, it being apparent that during the feed movement the tremendous thrust on the cam roller tending to force or move the feed bar 8 in a countercloclnvise direction viewing Fig. 4, will be effectually resisted by the guide roller 39. The face of the cam roller will thus be held parallel with the working faces of the cams and with the theoretical line contact in a. radial plane with respect to the working faces of the cams. Another important factor in maintaining the desired alignment and re lation of the cam roller and cams, is the provision of a bearing, preferably an antifriction bearing of the cup and cone type, at each end of the cam roller, or of suitable means for supporting the roller at each end. This insures a stable and a rigid support for the cam roller.

It is very essential in machines of the character described for heavy and continuous duty and in which a cam and roller are used for bringing the tools and work into and out of operation, that the face of the cam roller shall be kept parallel with the working face of the cam, especially during the heavy pressure of the feed movement. If this parallel relation is not maintained, the working faces of the cam and roller will be only in partial contact, that is, through a part of their width, thereby causing the surfaces to break down and wear unevenly, with the result that accuracy of the machine is seriously impaired. In fact, as a result of such wear, it is impossible to control the feed of the tools with any degree of accuracy. However, the present invention provides a construction whereby heavy and continuous duty may be performed and the highest degree of accuracy in control of the tool'is maintained. One of the reasons for this result is that the construction illustrating my invention has none of the disadvantages of other types of cam and roller constructions heretofore employed in automatic machine tools. For example, in those prior constructions employing a rotary cam drum and a roller co-opiii) meats feed which would be augmented as the feed pressures'are increased. If in such constructlon, the cam and roller faces are 1ncreased 1n width, the greater will be the lnaccuracy due to wear; and likewise as the diameter of the roller is increased without increasing the diameter of the stud, the working faces of the roller and cam will be thrown still more out of parallel. If both the stud and roller are increased in diameter, the resistance of the roller revoluble on the stud is correspondingly increased. In the foregoing prior construction, the cam roller is very seldom larger than two inches in diameter and the working faces of the cams more than one inch in width. In other prior constructions, a cam roller is supported on one end ofthe shaft which is revolubly mounted in one or more hearings at one end, which bearings may be of the antifriction type, one being locatedad'jacent to the roller and another at the farther endof the roller supporting shaft. Most of the load under heavy pressure will be borne by the bearing next to the roller, causing this bearing to give and the roller shaft to flex, with the result thatthe face of the roller will be thrown out of parallel with the working face of the cam. The present invention, howeven insures that the face of the roller will be kept in full contact with the working face of the cam or cams, making it possible to use a roller of larger diameter and wider face than heretofore; likewise this construction makes it possible to use cams with wide faces and which are of such design as to be capable of substantial mounting; Inasmuch as the pressure that the cams and roller will transmit, as suming that these parts are made of steel of the proper quality and hardness, is directly dependent upon the diameter of the roller and the width of the working faces of the cams and roller, it willbe evident that this pressure may be increased proportionally as the diameter of the roller and width of the faces of the cams and roller are increased.

lVith a construction of the character described, the enormous pressure required for siniulta-neously feeding a multiple of tools may be very efficiently transn'iitted in every day service without danger of uneven wear of the" cam and roller faces,'nor fracture of these faces due to'the heavy pressures; nor of crushing the anti-friction bearings, as has frequently happened in inachineshe'retofore produced. This novel cam and roller construction also permits the use of a most simple and compact mechanism tor imparting variable speed movements to either a tool or Work carriage or any similar machine element requiring heavy feed" pressure. In other words, it may be sub stituted for the complex gear and clutch trains and other motion reducing and' power increasing mechanisms which have heretofore been in common use, especially in the heavy duty type of multiple spindle automatic machines. In such machines, it is necessary to change the cam. action in accordance with the particular work or" job; and the present invention is especially suited to this end in that the cam plates provide very rigid supports and so constructed and arranged that the s'e-gaiiental cams may be quickly and easily changed.

It should be understood, therefore, that my present invention is in no way restricted to use in a machine of the type shown in the drawings, as this particular machine constitutes the subject: matter of a separate invention. In other words, the present hi vention pertaining to the cam and roller construction per se, and to the immediate cooperating parts,- iscapable of wide application in machine design, and especially as pertains to the transmission of heavy feed pressures.

It is believed that the foregoing conveys a clear understanding of the objects pref} aced above, and while I have illustrated but a single working embodiment, it should be understood that the same is capable of considerable modification and change in design and proportions without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims, in which I claim:

1. A cam roller construction of the character described comprising rotary cam carrier having aria-ll spaced cam surfaces,

a cam roller disposed in the camway between said cam surfaces, a member mounted for reciprocation in a rectilinear path parallel with the axis of rotation of the cam-carrier, and means revolubly supporting said cam roller on said member including a bearing for the cam roller at the inner and outer ends thereof and a supporting member reaching inwardly through said camway supporting the inner bearing, whereby to provide a rigid support for the cam roller and to maintain its face in parallel relation to the faces of the cam surfaces. V

2..lhe combination with adevice adapt-- edto be moved to and fro by a cam and roller, of a pair of oppositely disposed r0- tary cam plates, segmental cams secured to the inner sides of said plates, and a roller disposed in the cam way defined by said cams and adapted to be moved toand fro thereby.

3. The combination with adevice adapted to be moved to and fro by a cam and roller, a pair of oppositely disposed rotary cam plat-es, segmental cams secured to the inner sides of said plates, a roller disposed in the cam way defined by said cams and adapted to be moved to and fro thereby, and a roller supporting bearing at each end thereof.

4. The combination of a. pair of rotary cam plates, changeable segmental cams on the inner sides of said plates, and a. roller interposed between the cams and adapted to be moved to and fro thereby.

5. The combination of a pair of rotary cam plates, changeable cams secured to said plates, a roller adapted to be moved to and fro by said cams, and a member moved by the roller.

6. A cam and roller construction of the character described comprising a rotary caracarrier having axially spaced cam surfaces, a cam roller disposed in the camway between said cam surfaces and having trunnion ends, a member mounted for movement in a rectilinear path parallel with the axis of the cam-carrier, and means revolubly supporting the cam roller on said member including a bearing for each of said trunnion ends and means reaching inwardly through said camway carrying the inner bearing.

7. A cam and roller construction of the character describedcomprising a rotary camcarrier having axially spaced cam surfaces, a cam roller disposed in the camway between said surfaces, a member mounted for movement in a rectilinear path parallel with the axis of rotation of the cam-carrier, and means revolubly supporting the cam roller on said member, said means including a sup porting structure extending around the roller and through said camway and carrying roller bearings, one inwardly from the inner end of the cam roller and the other outwardly from its outer end, whereby to maintain the face of the cam. roller parallel to the faces of the cam surfaces so that the cam pressure will be imparted equally to the face of the cam roller from end to end thereof.

8. In a metal working machine, the combination of a feed bar, a rotary cam, and means operated by the cam for imparting heavy feed pressure to said feed bar comprising a cam roller supported by the feed bar and upon roller bearings at each end of the roller.

9. The combination of a. rotary cam, a feed bar adapted to move to and fro in a plane parallel to the axis of rotation of the cam,

- a cam roller supported at each end by an anti-friction bearing and disposed wholly at one side of the feed bar.

10. The combination in a mechanism adapted for transmitting heavy feed pressure, a pair of opposite rotary cam plates, segmental cams on the inner sides of said plates, a roller interposed between said cams, a memberadap-ted to be moved by said roller in accordance with the cam action, and means supporting the roller upon said memberincluding a bearing at each end of the cam roller.

11. The combination in a mechanism adapted for transmitting heavy feed pres sure, a. pair of opposite rotary cam plates, segmental cams on said plates, a roller interposed between said cams, a member adapted to be moved by said roller in accordance with the cam action, a pair of arms fixed to said member and embracing the roller, and a hearing at the outer and inner ends of said arms and upon and between which the cam roller is mounted.

12. T he combination of a member adapted to be moved to and fro for transmitting heavy feed pressure, a rotary cam for imparting said pressure, and a relatively wide faced, large diameter roller adapted to be operated by said cam for moving said member, said roller being supported at each end upon said member through the agency of a roller bearing.

13. The combination of apair of rotary cam plates, segmental cams thereon provid ing an annular cam way,a roller disposed in said cam way, means adapted to be moved to and froby said roller, and bearings supporting the cam roller upon said means, one bearing being for the inner end of the cam roller at the inside of the segmental cams, and another bearing being for the outer end of the cam roller at the outer side of the segmental cams.

14. The combination of a rotary cam having opposed surfaces providing an annular cam way, a cam roller disposed in said cam way on an axis at right angles to and intersecting the axis of rotation of the rotary cam, means supporting and adapted to be moved by said roller in accordance with the cam action, and a guide roller carried by said means for holding the face of the cam roller parallel with the working face of the cam surfaces.

15. The combination of a rotary cam, a cam roller disposed on an axis at right angles to and intersecting the axis of rotation of the cam, a feed member carrying said.

roller and adapted to be moved thereby, and a guide roller carried by said feed member and co-axial with respect to the cam roller for holding the face of the latter parallel with the working face of the cam.

16. The combination of a pair of rotary cam plates, a segmental cam attached to each cam plate providing a cam way, a cam roller disposed in said way on an axis at right angles to and intersecting the ax is,of rotation of the cam plates, a feed bar novable in a plane parallel with said axis of rotation, means rota tably supporting said cam roller upon and at one side of said feed bar, whereby the latter will be moved in accordance with the cam action, and a guide roller journaled on the feed bar at the side opposite from said cam roller and substantially co-axial therewith for holding the cam roller in predetermined relation to the rotary cam during operation.

1'7. The combination of a rotary cam, a feed bar adapted to be moved thereby in a plane parallel with the axis of rotation of the cam, a cam roller in juxtaposition to the feed bar, said bar having rigid laterally extending arms which embrace the roller, a bearing for one end of the cam roller supported by and at the outer end of said arms, and a second roller bearing for the other end of the cam roller supported by the feed bar at the inner end of said arms.

18. A cam and roller construction of the character described comprising a rotary cam having axially spaced cam surfaces, a cam roller disposed in the camway between said surfaces and having a trunnion at each end, and roller supporting means mounted for movement in a rectilinear path parallel with the axis of rotation of said cam-carrier and including a supporting bearing for each trunnion for holding the face of the cam roller parallel with the faces of the cam surfaces at all times.

19. A cam and roller construction of the character described comprising a rotary cam-carrier having axially spaced cam surfaces, a cam roller disposed in the camway between said cam surfaces, a member mounted to travel back and forth in a rectilinear path parallel with the axis of rotation of the cain-carrier, and means revolubly supporting the cam roller on said member and through which the action of the cams is transmitted to said member, including a yoke reaching inwardly through the cam way, embracing the cam roller and supporting it at its inner end, whereby to maintain the face of the cam roller parallel with the faces of the cam surfaces under heavy pressures.

26. A cam and roller construction of the character described comprising a rotary cam-carrier having axially spaced cam surfaces a cam roller disposed in the camway between said cam surfaces, a member 1nounted to travel back and forth in a rectilinear path parallel with the axis of rotation of the canrcarrier, means revolubly sup sorting the cam roller on said member and t irough which the action of the cams is transmitted to said member, including a yoke reaching inwardly through the camway, embracing the cam roller and supporting it at its inner end, whereby to maintainthe face of the cam roller parallel with the faces of the cam surfaces under heavy pressures, and

guide means for resisting torsional thrust on said member resulting from the cam action, whereby to maintain the line contact of the cam roller radial with respect to said axis.

21. A cam and rollerconstruction of the character described comprising a rotary cam having axially spaced cam surfaces, a cam roller disposed in the camway between said surfaces, a feed member in juxtaposition to the cam-carrier and mounted to travel back and forth in a rectilinear path parallel with the axis of rotation of the cam-carrier, and means rigidly, revolubly supporting the cam roller on said feed member including an arm rigid with respect to the feed member reaching inwardly through said camway around andbeyond the cam roller and providingsupport for the end of the cam roller nearest to the cam axis.

22. A cam and roller construction of the character described comprising a rotary cam-carrier having axially spaced, changeable cams, a cam roller disposed in the camway bet-ween said cams, and means mounted to travel back and forth in a rectilinear path parallel with the axis of rotation of the cam-carrier and revolubly supporting the cam roller by means reaching inwardly through the camway around the roller and providing support for said roller beyond its end nearest to the cam axis.

28. A cam and roller construction of the character described comprising a pair of annular cam-carrying plates in axially spaced, rigid relation, segmental cams removably fixed to the inner sides of said plates, a cam roller disposed in the camway be tween said cams, a feed bar mounted to travel back and forth in a rectilinear path parallel with the axis of rotation of said cam-carrying plates, means revolubly sup porting the cam roller on said feed bar in rigid relation thereto, with the face of the cam roller parallel with the faces of the cams including a yoke rigid on the feed bar reaching inwardly through the camway embracing the roller and providing support therefor beyond its inner and outer ends. I

24;. A cam and roller construction of the character described comprising a feed bar mounted to travel back and forth in a plane, a cam roller mounted on said feed bar on an axis at right angles to said plane, a rotary cam-carrier on an axis parallel with said plane, having cam surfaces adapted by rotation of the cam-carrier in one direction to act on the cam roller for movii'ig the feed bar back and forth in said plane, the axis, whereby to maintain the face of the cam roller being mounted on the feed bar roller parallel with the face of the cams, through the agency of a bearing support and means for maintaining the line contact 10 at its inner and outer end, and a structure between the roller and cams radial with rigid With respect to the feed bar and respect to the cam-carrier. v

embracing the roller and providing support for the bearing at its end nearest to the cam LEE G. DANIELS. 

